Blindness
Blindness Defined
Blindness as defined by the U.S. definition is the best-corrected visual acuity of 6/60 or worse (=20/200) in the better-seeing eye. Blindness is defined by U.S. definition 20/200 best-corrected visual acuity in the better-seeing eye and the World Health Organization standard of < 20/400.
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2010 U.S. Age-Specific Prevalence Rates for Blindness by Age and Race/Ethnicity
| Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
0.12% |
0.18% |
0.05% |
0.11% |
0.12% |
| 50-54 |
0.10% |
0.34% |
0.11% |
0.20% |
0.13% |
| 55-59 |
0.11% |
0.52% |
0.16% |
0.31% |
0.17% |
| 60-64 |
0.14% |
0.80% |
0.26% |
0.47% |
0.24% |
| 65-69 |
0.23% |
1.24% |
0.40% |
0.72% |
0.36% |
| 70-74 |
0.43% |
1.91% |
0.64% |
1.10% |
0.62% |
| 75-79 |
0.99% |
2.93% |
1.00% |
1.67% |
1.18% |
| 80+ |
9.21% |
6.32% |
2.15% |
3.46% |
8.41% |
| TOTAL |
1.02% |
0.93% |
0.26% |
0.51% |
0.90% |
2010 Prevalence Rates of Blindness by Race
| Total Population |
142,648,393 |
103,846,437 |
15,190,777 |
14,901,369 |
8,709,810 |
2010 U.S. Prevalent Cases of Blindness (in thousands) by Age, and Race/Ethnicity
| Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
34 |
10 |
4 |
4 |
52 |
| 50-54 |
16 |
9 |
2 |
3 |
30 |
| 55-59 |
16 |
11 |
3 |
4 |
34 |
| 60-64 |
18 |
13 |
4 |
4 |
39 |
| 65-69 |
23 |
14 |
4 |
5 |
46 |
| 70-74 |
32 |
16 |
5 |
5 |
58 |
| 75-79 |
59 |
18 |
5 |
5 |
87 |
| 80+ |
867 |
50 |
14 |
14 |
945 |
| TOTAL |
1,065 |
141 |
41 |
44 |
1,291 |
2010 U.S. Prevalent Cases of Blindness (in thousands) by Age, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity
| Female/Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
17 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
26 |
| 50-54 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
16 |
| 55-59 |
8 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
18 |
| 60-64 |
9 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
20 |
| 65-69 |
12 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
25 |
| 70-74 |
17 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
32 |
| 75-79 |
33 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
50 |
| 80+ |
606 |
35 |
9 |
9 |
659 |
| TOTAL |
710 |
86 |
24 |
26 |
846 |
| Male/Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
17 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
26 |
| 50-54 |
8 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
| 55-59 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
16 |
| 60-64 |
9 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
19 |
| 65-69 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
21 |
| 70-74 |
15 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
26 |
| 75-79 |
26 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
37 |
| 80+ |
261 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
286 |
| TOTAL |
355 |
55 |
17 |
18 |
445 |
Projections for Blindness (2010-2030-2050)
| Year |
All |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
| 2010 |
1,288,275 |
1,062,942 |
141,091 |
39,416 |
44,826 |
| 2030 |
2,169,625 |
1,700,413 |
252,473 |
110,894 |
105,846 |
| 2050 |
4,113,472 |
3,224,470 |
423,329 |
250,784 |
214,889 |
| |
All |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
| Prevalence |
0.009 |
0.010 |
0.009 |
0.003 |
0.005 |
Changes of Cases between 2000 and 2010
| Year |
Value |
Short Value |
| 2000 |
936,309 |
936 |
| 2010 |
1,288,275 |
1,288 |
2000 U.S. Prevalent Cases of Blindness (in thousands) by Age, and Race/Ethnicity
| Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
38 |
9 |
2 |
2 |
51 |
| 50-54 |
14 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
24 |
| 55-59 |
12 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
23 |
| 60-64 |
13 |
9 |
2 |
2 |
26 |
| 65-69 |
17 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
33 |
| 70-74 |
31 |
14 |
3 |
4 |
52 |
| 75-79 |
58 |
16 |
3 |
4 |
81 |
| 80+ |
590 |
42 |
8 |
8 |
648 |
| TOTAL |
773 |
114 |
24 |
27 |
938 |
2000 U.S. Prevalent Cases of Blindness (in thousands) by Age, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity
| Female/Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
19 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
26 |
| 50-54 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| 55-59 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| 60-64 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
| 65-69 |
9 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
18 |
| 70-74 |
17 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
29 |
| 75-79 |
34 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
48 |
| 80+ |
432 |
30 |
5 |
5 |
472 |
| TOTAL |
531 |
71 |
14 |
15 |
631 |
| Male/Age |
White |
Black |
Hispanic |
Other |
All |
| 40-49 |
19 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
25 |
| 50-54 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| 55-59 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
| 60-64 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
| 65-69 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
15 |
| 70-74 |
14 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
23 |
| 75-79 |
24 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
33 |
| 80+ |
158 |
12 |
3 |
3 |
176 |
| TOTAL |
242 |
43 |
10 |
12 |
307 |
